House Speaker Says McConnell is Calling Democrats

Bowling Green, KY – The Speaker of the Kentucky House says RepublicanU-S Senator Mitch McConnell has been calling Kentucky Democrats in the House, asking them to switch parties.Speaker Jody Richards, a Democrat from Bowling Green,says some Democrats in the House have told him thatSenator McConnell has placed calls to them, urgingthem to leave their political party. Richards says he has talked with his fellow Democrats and doesn'texpect any to leave the party.

However, Western's Public Radio has contacted theoffice of Senator McConnell in Washington. A statementissued by the Senator stresses that McConnell "has notplaced a single call to a single Democrat in Kentucky'sHouse." The statement goes on to declare that McConnell doesn't rule out doing so in the future, andhe says all are welcome to join the Republican Party.

On Wednesday, Republican U-S Senator Jim Bunningsaid he wouldn't be surprised if some Democrats in theGeneral Assembly decided to switch parties.